When is Hogwarts Legacy set? Harry Potter timeline explained

Hogwarts Legacy was inspired by Harry Potter but it is important to note the game has a brand-new set of characters and takes place in a different time. Here’s everything to know about Hogwarts Legacy’s timeline and how it affects the events in Harry Potter books and movies.

Hogwarts Legacy is one of the highest-selling games in 2023 and these numbers might increase now that the game’s officially coming out on the Nintendo Switch. You might not be able to see the title’s open world at its best, but the story, quests, exploration, and characters should still entertain you.

Hogwarts Legacy instantly gained the attention of millions around the world because it is based on Harry Potter, which is easily one of the most popular fiction series ever. Although you can find iconic locations and familiar characters in the game, it isn’t set at the same time as the movies and the books.

On that note, here’s when Hogwarts Legacy takes place and the relation between the events in the game and the books.

When does Hogwarts Legacy take place?

The story of Hogwarts Legacy begins in 1890, a full 100 years before the events of J.K Rowling’s original book and this means that players do not bump into the likes of Harry and Hermoine around the school grounds.

Hogwarts Legacy is set a full century before the iconic characters from the franchise entered the Great Hall. But there are other classic characters that you meet throughout the course of the game.

So far, the furthest we have gone back in time is through the movies that have taken us to the early 1920s such as the Fantastic Beasts series, but Portkey Game‘s story is still three decades before Newt Scamander emerged as a hero.

However, that doesn’t mean that characters from those films will appear in Hogwarts Legacy, but since their timelines are closer, players can take care of beasts in the Vivarium which is similar to what Newt did in the movies.

For more on Hogwarts Legacy, check out our other guides:

 Can you play Quidditch in Hogwarts Legacy | Hogwarts Legacy Vivarium explained: How to access special location | Hogwarts Legacy PC requirements | Hogwarts Legacy Trophies & Achievements list | Does Hogwarts Legacy have microtransactions? | How to get Venomous Tentacula in Hogwarts Legacy | How to complete the Phoenix Rising Quest in Hogwarts Legacy